Meralda's Stand
by emmypig17
Summary: What happens when Meralda moves into town with her mother and attends an academy designed for, literally, the gods? What secret has her mother been hiding all her sixteen years? Note: Changed category for involvement of vampires further in the story.
1. Chapter 1

"Meralda, are you seriously planning on wearing that for your first day of high school?!" My mom's voice echoed in the quiet kitchen. Her normally pale face was blotchy and angry as she stared at my outfit I had chosen for today's first freshman day of high school. I was wearing ripped jeans, a baggy tee, a friendship bracelet and flip-flops. Nothing out of the ordinary, surely?

So I replied with sarcasm. "No, mother, I plan on stripping once I arrive and going nude all day." Then I saw her reaction, and I decided that I probably shouldn't have gone to sarcasm mode.

"Young lady, you will not leave my house until you put on another layer of clothing, do you understand me? I mean what I say, missy!" Yeah, there's no 'probably' about it – I should _not_ have gone sarcastic. I try to diffuse the rising storm. "Okay, mom, sure. I'll just be a moment."

She manages a tight nod and I run up the stairs to my bedroom. Thank whatever God there is that I ran track last year, otherwise I'm sure mom would be yelling at me to hurry up. Once inside my room I pick out my red sweatshirt I bought in Wales last summer and ran back down the stairs again. Mom was sitting in a kitchen chair, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

I approached the table hesitantly, afraid of another outburst. "Mom? I got a sweatshirt. May I go now?" Wow, I really sounded nice.

She looked up and just said, "Have a good day, Meralda," and went back to her consistent rubbing.

I thought about her as I waited for the school bus fifteen minutes later, feeling comfortable in my solitude on the corner of the street. This hangover has got to be her worst one yet, for sure. She's never been so picky before. Even after dad left her sixteen years ago, and she became an alcoholic, she's always been nice to me. Something must be going on in her life that I don't know about, something serious. I mentally vowed that after school I'd find out exactly what 'something serious' is.

Thinking about school got me thinking about _during _school today. I wonder what kind of peers I'll meet today at Athena's Academy, or the Double-A. On my guess, I'd say the vast majority of the students will be preps and jocks, with one or two Goth kids and maybe one sweetheart guy, but even one is probably pushing the envelope. Even still, I hoped I had a class, or all my classes, with a sweet hearted kid.

I heard the bus before I saw it, so I was kind of prepared for what I was going to see. But only kind of.

The bus was just like a normal bus, if you exclude the fact that the entire vehicle was blue and green, with a portrait of the Greek god Athena painted on both sides. Yep, if you don't count that it's as normal a bus as you can imagine. But, you can't ignore that, so let's just say that this is no ordinary bus.

The blue and green thing that was a bus pulled up to where I was standing and made an extremely loud halt. When the double doors opened, I stared into a face crinkled in a genuine smile, sitting in the driver's chair. Gray hair peeked out of a rust-colored trucker hat, and a blue, oil-stained mechanical uniform covered the massive body of the driver.

"Welcome aboard, missy. I'll need to know your name so I can tell you where you sit." He had insightful, warm blue eyes that made me want to stand and just chat all day with this kind man.

I shook off that feeling and climbed onto the bus. A very loud bus, I may add, that was already filled with students. All of the aforementioned students were talking amongst themselves, more vehemently in the rear end of the bus. In a soft voice I said my name. "Meralda, sir." The bus driver's face told me he hadn't heard me, so I repeated, louder this time, "Meralda, sir!"

His face changed, now. Shock crossed over his features, then incredulity, and awe. I was too immersed in his rapidly changing facial expressions to notice that the entire bus had gone silent.

He finally contrived to speak again, but only after clearing his throat conspicuously. "Erm… Thank you… Let me see here, you sit with Dan, Meralda. Dan, could you wave your hand, please?" This last part was spoken only slightly louder, seeing how the whole bus had gone quiet and there was no reason to shout.

A tall guy sitting in the last two-thirds of the bus lifted his hand. Mr. Bus Driver nodded to me and began to close the doors, and so I took the hint and started maneuvering myself through the mass of bodies hanging off their seats and into the aisle. After looking down while passing the first seat I looked up and saw that everyone was staring at me. When I saw everyone, I swear I mean _everyone_. The boy named Dan had a hint of a smile hovering on his lips. All the others were just staring. What attractive behavior, I mean, really!

I looked down again until I got to Dan's seat. I met his eyes and noticed that they were a deep green. His eyes were similar to a warm, welcoming meadow, accepting and shielded. He wore a blue baseball cap reading, 'Cape League', and by now a friendly smile lit up his entire face. When he smiled, his face was aglow with inner happiness and peace, with not a care in the world. Well, lucky him. I've definitely got cares in the world.

I sat down next to Dan and Mr. Bus Driver, noticing that the silence was enduring, turned on and up the radio. As the other people began to chat again, I gave him a grateful look before I turned to my seat partner.

Dan's eyes were quietly observing me, assessing me. I didn't like that, so I flipped my long brunette hair over one shoulder and introduced myself. "Hello, I'm Meralda," and I added in a smile for good measure. I could clap myself on the back, I was so proud of myself for being civil.

Dan threw me another heart-breaking smile. I nearly gasped, his smiles made him look so… attractive. "I'm Dan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Meralda." His voice was deep and matured, low and assured. The vibrations in the air that he made when he talked wrapped around me like a blanket, warming me and protecting me at the same time. He reverted back to his silent observing of me, and when I turned uneasy again I tried to make light conversation.

"So, Dan. Uh, what kind of movies do you like?" Geez, I sounded so dumb. Just shoot me now, get today over and done with already.

His reply jarred me. "Horror." I was most definitely not expecting that. Romance, yeah. Comedy, maybe. But horror? Now I'm intrigued. He'd gone quiet again so I asked, "What's your favorite movie, then?"

Dan sighed, a defeatist sound, letting me know he's finally going to open up to me. "My number one? Probably 'Not Another Teen Movie'".

I frowned. "Didn't you just say you liked horror movies?"

He nodded, closing his amazingly green eyes in the process. With his eyelids down, his face looked exposed and vulnerable. I instantly discovered that, much to my amazement and chagrin, I had a crush on Dan. IN the space of two minutes, he'd managed to make me like him. Considering I've never liked anyone before, this is a pretty lofty feat.

When he re-opened his eyes, they were anew with curiosity. He leaned a little off the window and a little toward me. My mind told me to lean back, to maintain my personal 'bubble'. But my body wouldn't listen to rational thought. Involuntarily, I edged towards him, too.

He asked me in his beautiful, smooth voice, "So, Meralda. What about you? What's your favorite movie?" His green pools glittered.

The answer came to me as quick as breathing. "Most definitely 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'." I surreptitiously eyed him to see at his reaction. The last person I'd told had outright laughed at me and told me to go watch the Teletubbies.

His expression didn't change, but amusement betrayed him in his eyes. "Ah, so you're into comedy. Not many girls around here who look like you watch those movies."

I was offended. "Define what I look like, please, Mr. Dan-I'm-The-Man!" Yeah, the irresistibly cute man.

He considered his answer. Smart choice, with how I'm feeling. "The Plastics from the movie, 'Mean Girls'. Only with a much more defined with mature look." He smiled again. I think I'm becoming addicted to his smiles. In fact, I swear I am.

I'd also seen the movie, 'Mean Girls', and I have to admit that I was flattered at first. The Plastics were the elite, popular, gorgeous girls at their high school. They were also dirty dishrags, with the I.Q. level of a walnut. Dan told me I wasn't a dirty dishrag, but he'd not exempted me from their intelligence. Translation: he thinks I'm 'stoopid'. Well, we'll see who's stupid.

I tilted my head and enlarged my eyes marginally, gazing at him unflinchingly. He gazed back, with so much intensity that I almost, but not quite, forgot what I was planning on doing. Almost.

"I have two questions. The first is, how do you add accents and tildes to letters when you're using sign language? Secondly, if I had the inequality of five minus two 'x' is less than three, what's the quantity of 'x'?"

The expression in Dan's eye, still holding mine, changed from amusement to understanding as he saw that I was trying to show him I'm not stupid. He turned in his seat to fully face me, then he replied, "To your first question, I don't know, and the second is 'x' is greater than one."

I smirked. "One out of two. Wow, good job, Einstein."

My smirk died as he said, "Fair fight, Rasputin". Rasputin here referring to the Russian confidante during the first world war who corrupted the Russian government by wheedling himself into favor, hiring and firing those he chose and angering the Russian citizens. In the end, it took enough poison to kill off fifteen people, three bullets in his body, kicks to the head, and finally drowning in a frozen river to kill the man. Fair fight, indeed.

My face went red as I had a new thought. Rasputin was also known to be a very hypnotizing person to be around. He always got his way. His presence was like a magnetic force, drawing everyone near to him.

I covered my confused embarrassment with easily accessed anger. My fists balled. "So, what's that supposed to mean?"

When I saw Dan flinch from the flicker of anger in my eyes, I felt two-faced and I instantly wanted my pride and dignity to bow and leave, but apparently they're staying for an encore appearance.

In response, Dan retaliated viciously. "What do you think it means? Whatever you're thinking is probably wrong anyway."

The nerve! My mouth flapped open. I was speechless with fury. I did only logical thing I could think of. So I slapped him hard, on the cheek, and turned myself so I wasn't facing him and proceeded to ignore the cute man's existence who sat next to me.

Five minutes passed, and I began to regret what I'd done. I hoped I hadn't hurt him. My slaps have been known to be man-punches thrown from the backside of a woman's hand. With this thought I began to cry. I probably did hurt him. And my first friend, too! What a great way to start my high school career!

My shoulders started shaking with sobs. The bus went quiet, all eyes transfixed on my tears. I saw awed glances thrown my way, as well as looks full of loathe, and a few with even… pity? Pity?! I won't have anybody pitying me!

I wiped my hand across my eyes, catching my fallen tears. Only, they were golden tears, not the normal, clear, salty ones. Since when had I cried golden tears!? That's what I'd like to know! I looked back at Dan, and his expressing was hard to label. Reverence mixed with sadness, and a little lick of surprise? What an odd reaction to seeing someone shedding golden tears.

As I noticed a splash of red on his cheek, I tried to choke out my words. "I-I'm so …s-s-sorry… D-Dan…"

His expression instantly altered to a compassionate one. He said, "No, no, Meralda, there's nothing to forgive. I'm alright. Forget about me, now how are you?" His eyes reached out to me, pleading me to confide in him. I worked on getting myself under control. His eyes were so pitiful and honest, I couldn't say no to a face like that. But how could I expound all my nervousness, all of me, to this boy I met this morning? How could he even listen to what little I could possibly say?

As the clamor of voices began to rise again, his eyes tried to persuade me. I succumbed with good grace to Dan's powerful magnetic pull. Pssh, and he called me Rasputin? Hardly the case.

"Okay, Dan. But I think I should start in the begin-" My sentence was abruptly cut off when the bus went from 60 MPH to 0 in two seconds, thus sending everyone smashing into each other and the seats ahead of them.

Mr. Bus Driver looked into his mirror facing us with a sheepish grin making him look like he got caught doing something mischievous.

I heard a high-pitched girl's voice from the seat behind me squeal, "OH! My nails are so totally, like, ruined! Gerrrr!" Then I heard her pound her fists into somebody. A low, masculine moan reached my ears, and I turned back to give this idiot of a girl's punching bag a sympathetic look.

What I saw didn't warrant any sympathetic glance from me at all. The girl and her seat-buddy were in full make-out mode, with their hands in each others hair, the girl in his lap… the full nine yards.

Since I really was not in the mood to watch snogging at the moment, I coughed loudly and told the couple in a carrying voice, "No need to be so chaste, you two. No one's watching."

I heard snickers erupt around me, and I felt Dan tugging at my arm. "Mer, sit down, leave them be…" I ignored him, although his nickname for me was charming.

The guy liplocked with the girl was the first to respond, at all, and that was only after a few more sarcastic remarks from me. When he did look up, I was rendered absolutely speechless.

Gorgeous navy blue eyes were framed by loose black curls. With cherry lips, a dominant chin and a muscular build, this guy would be on everyone's radar. If, that is, he didn't obviously already have a girlfriend – Mouse-Voice Girl to his right. He looked into my eyes as he pulled away from his kiss. His blue orbs actually looked semi-smart; not what you'd expect coming from a guy so beautiful; it should be a crime to go out with him. But the spark was there, all the same.

His eyes scanned my face, probably wondering about why I even care that they're making out _behind_ me.

I suddenly felt the need to explain, and quickly. "You see, I just don't like PDA's. It's against my religion." My eyes challenged him to ask exactly what my religion was, since he obviously wasn't part of it.

He took the bait. "Yeah? What do you practice?" Beautiful voice, but arrogant.

"Abstinence."

Dan full-out laughed beside me. Laughter floated around my seat. Some people looked shocked I was calling out this guy on his completely inappropriate behavior.

His eyes looked at me as if he'd been blinded, but now saw the light. They appraised me. Reminded of Dan's first glances my way, I felt uncomfortable for at least the second time already today. I held out my hand for him to shake and introduced myself. "I'm Meralda."

In turn, he told me his name. "Hello, Meralda. I'm Zeus."


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for being so late… don't hate… appreciate… WORD.**

**(obviously, Meralda's POV)**

_"Hello, Meralda. I'm Zeus."_

_I'm Zeus._ My friendly smile froze on my face like wet hair in the winter outdoors. Zeus? Where have I heard that before, eh? His parents must have been hardcore mythology lovers. He's absurd, imaginary, unreal!

But as I thought more about it, doubt began to materialize. According to legends, Zeus had many… romantic wanderings. Only, he tried to keep them on the D-low. Not this guy's style at all. Zeus was beautiful – this Zeus is gorgeous. Mythical Zeus was buff – so was this one. The seed of doubt grew to a weed of uncertainty.

I tried to rationalize y thoughts. _Honestly, Meralda,_ I thought to myself, _You don't seriously believe he's telling the truth?_

In my own silence I noticed the bus's lack of absolute noise. Children looked scared, curious, and confused… weird.

The 'Zeus' was eyeing me. Oddly enough, I found that I didn't quite mind that much. Kind of enjoyed it, actually – being the sole attention of a gorgeous, buff guy was something I'm rather lacking of.

Dan grabbed my waist in firm, capable hands and pulled me down just as the bus started up again. My footing on the floor was jostled, and I ended up landing on Dan's lap with my face mere inches from his own. My heartbeat quickened to a raging pace as we caught and maintained eye contact. His green eyes penetrated my dark blues. Time seemed suspended as I saw doubt, indecision, then determination all flicker through his orbs.

In a lightning-quick movement, one hand shot up from my waist to latch onto the back of my neck. He reached for me, and I for him, until our two lips collided. Gently but with intensity his lips moved against mine, creating physical friction as well as chemical. I wondered at the hypocrisy of me doing this right after scolding Zeus and his girlfriend, but then I shoved logical thoughts aside. I responded with equal enthusiasm, and when Dan moved to open my mouth I didn't hold back. I felt Dan's front teeth against my lips and gasped.

Then I suddenly didn't feel his lips anymore. I opened my eyes to see that Zeus had grabbed a hold of Dan's shirt and was violently whispering in his ear. I could only catch some of what he was saying so urgently.

"…not yet…Are you stupid?... don't be… fool…not worth…wait… wait… wait…"

Wait? What was 'wait' all about? And what was _Zeus_ talking about? Why should Dan wait to French me? What? I was so lost, and so depressed. I really liked Dan, and now this PDA prick wants to stop him from kissing me?! The nerve of some people…

Wow, I'm a hypocrite.

Dan's whitened face regained some color as Zeus slapped him twice and let go of his collar. Dan mumbled, "Sorry, lost control…" He rubbed the back of his neck with a free hand and I could see the tensed muscles begin to relax. Dan's brow grew creased with liens of worry and concentration.

Zeus still eyed Dan as a gorilla handler would eye his unpredictable gorilla charge. Only when Zeus's girlfriend started complaining from lack of attention did Zeus stop glaring at Dan. And when Zeus did look away, Dan flipped him the bird behind his back so quickly I wasn't even certain he'd done it.

I heard Dan mutter wrathfully under his breath, "One day, foolish older brother, one day…", before surprising me with a quick peck on the cheek. Then he said, in a noticeably happier tone of voice, "We're almost to school. Aren't you excited, Mer?" He obviously was trying to distract me. I'm sure it wouldn't have worked, had he not been a) handsome, b) compassionate, and c) an amazing kisser. Needless to say, his persuasive tactics fully and intentionally distracted me. Plus, he'd given me a nickname. That's downright cool.

I mulled over his question, seriously pondering it. "I suppose I should be, shouldn't I? Seeing how I've never been there before, could you enlighten me?"

He opened his mouth to 'enlighten me', but precisely at that moment, Zeus popped out of nowhere over the seat and asked me, "Meralda, do you have a cell number?" Zeus winked bluntly at me while Dan shot him a look of pure hate.

I tried to keep a straight face. "I'd say my cell number ranges anywhere in the billions, Zeus. And they all have a nucleus…"

Zeus chuckled, another of his deep masculine sounds. He's beginning to have his own collection of signature masculine sounds. That can't be good for his big, bad, male ego.

"Very funny, I'll give you props for that. Unfortunately, however, that's not quite what I meant. Do you have a cell phone number of which I can contact you with?"

I thought about going smart-alec but I conceded to stepping down for the moment. I could tease him another day. This, at least, insured another battle of wits for me to look forward to in the near future.

I nodded. "Sure. Mine is a red Razr, and my number is 298-659-1690. Hope you can memorize it, because I don't want to repeat it today."

He smirked. "Nope, got it. 298-659-1690. I'll just program it into my phone and then text you sometime today so you know my number." He had this all planned out! Tricky fox, this Zeus. I can't help but be impressed. Then again, his name _is_ Zeus, for crying out loud. Let's be reasonable.

Yeah, 'cause everyone names their sons Zeus.


	3. Chapter 3

**Mk, so about this chapter. Heh heh, right, very long. Makes up for last chapter's shortness. Hope you guys like!**

**(Meralda's POV.. again…)**

I got off the bus behind Dan and in front of Zeus. His girlfriend had gone up ahead with her other conceited, self-absorbed friends. I was walking down the bus's aisle when a cute boy leaning too far outside his seat and, BAM, I hit him full in the face.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" I asked, worried and concerned for his well-being. As I always am, might I add.

The boy rubbed his sore face with a hand. "I think I'll live, thanks. If you'd be so kind…" His other hand made a gesture that intimated that he wanted to get off in front of me. It was the least I could do, so I let him ahead. Dan gave me a scowl but trudged on anyways.

A scowl? Why….?

I followed the cute boy until I smelled fresh air again. Zeus was trying to have a conversation with me as we stood by the bus, the three of us – Dan, Zeus, and I.

"Where's your first hour, Meralda?" His voice sounded amplified, what with him leaning by my ear. Why he's standing so close is a mystery to me. I think he's smelling my hair, but I'm not certain. I didn't understand it, but Dan kept throwing Zeus jealous looks. Why would Dan have cause to be jealous? We're not together, in any sense of the word. How odd.

"I don't know, I have to go to the office to get my schedule."

He was still by my ear. "And do you know exactly where said office is?" I could more feel than see his smile.

He had me trapped. He and I both knew it. "Actually… No."

Dan turned around swiftly and was going to say something, but Zeus cut him off. Intentionally, perhaps?

"Why don't I lead you," Zeus suggested smoothly. "I'll also throw in the do's and do not's of the Double-A while we're at it." Tempting. Very, very tempting. If only….

"What's the catch?" I stopped trying to move my head, all he did was adjust his own.

"Well, I can think of a few things off the top of my head…" He chuckled.

"You have a _girlfriend_, bozo. Lay off the merchandise."

He winced, but covered the action by saying, "Oh, so it's for sale? Lucky I'm rich, then." He winked, ever the smooth sailor.

"You're incorrigible! God save she who captures your wayward eyes and heart," I said teasingly. Zeus looked affronted, and then smiled. He had a gorgeous smile – when he wasn't being full of himself and annoying.

Dan coughed noticeably. Strange, but I'd completely forgot he was standing near me. Poor guy.

Moving on.

I looked at my nails, which were unpainted and dull. "So, Zeus. About going to the office?"

"Right. Follow me," he replied. To Dan, in an undertone he said, "Hey, Dan, I'll drive us all home tonight. Tell Jason, aight?" Zeus didn't wait for a reply and began walking towards a big, multi-storied building made of bricks. Dan huffed and angrily stalked off.

Zeus and I walked on a sidewalk in the middle of a courtyard. Cliques were sitting, standing, talking, laughing. Zeus pointed to a bunch of preps fussing about their hair and gossiping about their 'friends'.

"You see my –"here his voice went sour, " –girlfriend, with that crowd. That's the elite of the Double-A. Every one of their boyfriends are jocks; hold the applause, please, you're too kind." This warranted an annoyed look from me. "Uh, right, anyways. Mess with them, in any way, and you mess with people with too many contacts and not much to do with their time." He sounded as if he were talking from personal experience.

My previous annoyance faded as I realized I felt sorry for him. On the surface, he was this confident, suave, sexy man but inside, he was just a boy with everyday feelings and emotions.

Whoa. Sentimental much?

Time to get hardcore. _He's just another boy, Meralda,_ I berated myself. I do this often enough to drive me insane. _He's only got one basic need and understanding, and that's _not_ you. Nor will it ever be._

Feeling sufficiently depressed, Zeus kept up a running commentary on the social groups of Athena's Academy.

He nodded towards six secluded kids with two parallel slits in the back of their clothes and told me their names. "That's Max, Fang, Angel, the Gasman, Iggy, and Nudge – all sophomores, all super athletic, and all super smart. We all know they have secrets, but they never socialize so no one knows exactly what kind of secrets. I think they hate it here, and I'd be willing to bet they'd love to just grow wings and fly away. Pity they're human though."

He moved on. "See those girls over there? The one correcting an essay is Nichole, the two helping her are Jennifer and Alyssa, and that girl laughing with them at the essay is an exchange student from Germany named Ehrinn. Her name's really guttural, it hurts my throat to say it too many times."

"You've met my girlfriend, Sharon, then her friends Gretchen and Dylan are her partners in crime – Gretchen with the black hair, tan skin and Dylan with the red hair, pale complexion."

Too many people... and yet, not that much. My mom and I went to see the prospective public high schools, and Athena's total population is about equal to the entire senior class.

Talk about transitions.

Zeus told me of the other jocks, the wanna-be's, the has-beens, and the never-could's.

Obviously, I'm a never-could. My brown hair is pin straight, my blue eyes too dark, my sparse makeup not enough and my sense of style and fashion is nonexistent. So much for making a good impression.

We got to the office just as Zeus was beginning to describe the I.C.P. cultists: people who looked like circus clowns and cut themselves. Then sang about it in rap songs.

Pity he couldn't finish. I so would have loved to hear about emo, rapping clowns.

My schedule set up, Zeus discovered that we have third hour history and fifth hour biology together.

Fun times, fun times.

We headed off in different directions to our classes. Every time the teachers said my name, they looked shocked. The student populace generally looked awed. I was embarrassed.

History was the same, Zeus said 'hi', and then texted me another quick 'hi', so I programmed his number into my phone. When I would need it, I have no idea. Biology, the teacher read my name then got red in the face became incredibly angry. I was afraid he'd rip his shirt off and start yelling, "You don't like the Hulk when he's angry!" I don't think he likes me much.

My mom surprised me after school by being in the pick-up zone, waiting for me. Students stared at her like she was the messiah.

Feeling crept out, I climbed into the door she offered me. In my peripheral vision I saw three guys, two being Zeus and Dan, enter a green Hummer H2. Zeus was driving and the unknown guy was in shotgun, with Dan in the backseat.

My speculation? Brothers. I'd heard Zeus tell Dan about taking both he and a guy named Jake or something home. From a distance, the 'Jake' looked quiet and smart, with Zeus's curly locks, only blonde. Cute. From a distance.

Their Hummer drove off, and so did our car. We had to drive on the side of a cliff to get home, of course, and since I'm terrified of heights this made me anxious.

Clouds began coming in. Rain drizzled, sprinkled, and then poured in buckets. Mom's windshield wipers were working overtime, and yet still visibility was at best only meters in front of the car. Jolly conditions, eh? I know, I felt a bad feeling as well in the pit of my stomach.

Suddenly, Mom hit a deep, hidden pothole. Our car leaned too far to the right and overbalanced, sending the car, Mom, and myself careening over the cliff. Our poor vehicle bounced and rolled, getting bruised and battered, windows breaking and doors locking together.

I was frightened for my life.

So was my mom.

We screamed, and the horror lasted only as long as, well, forever. Or so it seemed. It was probably only about two minutes or so. But boy was it the longest two minutes of my life.

The car stopped rolling and tossing, and fell right-side up in a shadowed clearing.

Panting, I asked my mom, "Mom, mom, you okay?" I was pretty worried. She's fragile.

She was panting too. Thankfully. "Y-yes, dear. You're alright?"

"Yeah, 'course…" Yeah, I just rolled down a cliff in rainy weather. I'm perfectly peachy.

"Dear, I'm so sorry, it's my entire fault – I don't know where we are – we have no money – we're isolated –"She was breaking down. Not good. Not good at all.

She kept rambling. "What if something – you could've – my irresponsibility – your life…"

The rain kept coming, pounding on the roof, leaking through the new cracks. I'm guessing we'll need a new car.

"Don't worry, mom. It's going to be okay." Reassuring my mom was not something I particularly enjoyed. Especially when I'm the one who needs encouraging.

Just then, hotness began to invade my body.

Heat…?

Heat!

"Mom! Get out! I think the engine's going to explode!" I screamed. We'd be dead meat if we didn't get out, and soon!

Mom shrieked, trying to open her door. "It's jammed! My door's jammed!"

My heart stopped beating. I hadn't thought of that. I tried my door, barely breathing. It worked. Luckily.

"Mom, climb over to my door after me. Hurry!" I quickly scrambled out, and then looked back at Mom. This thing could blow any second, and we're right here!

She hadn't moved. "Mom!" She didn't react. She just sat in the driver's seat, staring stoically ahead.

Then she told me, calmly, "Meralda, get out. Leave me here." There was determination in her voice, her expression. She wasn't about to be swayed.

Well, I wouldn't leave her to die alone! "No, Mom! I'm staying here! With you!" I moved to get back into the car, but Mom closed the door, locked it, and then rolled down the window.

Her eyes were now desperate. In a pleading voice, she asked me, "Live for me? Be strong in the ways I was not. Go away from me, for me. I love you, Meralda. When doubt begins to thicken, remember that. I love you."

I cried. Leave mom? The engine's running out of time. Now or never. I hesitated.

Mom told me one last thing. "Belle… berry… belle… berry…" Then she looked into my eyes and ordered me, "Run like the cheetah, my Meralda. Run."

I ran. You have no idea how fast I ran. I was a _blur._ I ran to thirty yards away from the car before the engine gave up and exploded. I didn't hear any screams as the flames leapt high into the air, easily fifty feet up. Even as far out and away as I was, I instantly began to cough – too much smoke. Flames so high in the air… then, as if there were such a thing possible as floating gasoline, the fire lit a phrase in midair, facing me. My pulsing heart raced even harder. How…? The phrase suddenly jumped to life, weirdly not being extinguished by the downpour of rain. The words of flame spelled, 'BELLE REVENGE'.

**YOU'RE WELCOME, NICHOLE! How's that for a plot-opener? HUH?? Yeah. You see what I mean? Writer's Rush!**

**I'll try and update soon.. I don't know how long the next chapter will be, depends on what I can think of. **

**Suggestions and criticism are always appreciated, even wanted!**

**Luv you all**

**krista )**


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